It's You and Me
by shipperheart
Summary: For Tony and Ziva, now is the time to give them a go. Set in SeasonX, but not exactly canon. 'They still had things to figure out and they knew there would be bumps-that may turn into mountains-along the way, but it was reassuring for them to know that being a couple could work well for them.'
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, and from what it looks like we might be getting this season, I don't want it. Gary seems to be doing good.

A/N: This came to me in class and I literally started writing it then. I just thought I'd put it out here. It's set after 10x01, some weeks after the explosion, but it's not exactly canon.

If you could review, it would make my day and I would really appreciate it. Now on with the story.

* * *

"Tony, what are we even doing? This thing between us did not work out between us seven years ago, what makes you sure that it is going to work out now?"

Tony was about to give one of his infamous joke nonanswers, but the look in Ziva's eyes told him to do differently. She needed the caring, compassionate Tony right now, not the one who will glue McGee's fingers to his keyboard.

"Honestly, Ziva, I'm not sure that it is going to work out between us and I'm not going to promise you that it is. I wouldn't do that to you – lie to both of us. But the one thing I can promise you is that we are not the same people who had whatever we had, seven years ago. We have grown and changed a lot since then and I think that in our case, time is on our side now."

It was easy for Ziva to tell that he meant everything he said. Like he could her, she could read him easily. In truth, everything Tony said was correct. By promising themselves that this was going to be easy and they were going to make it in the long run, they would only be setting themselves up for hurt. Promising that they would be together in five or ten or fifty years was not going to do them any good now as much as they might have liked to believe that it could. But he also made the point that they weren't the same people they were seven years ago. They had experienced so much in that time, both together and apart, and all of that allowed them to be at this point in their lives that they're at now. Gibbs' retirement, Jeanne, Jenny's death, Rivkin, Somalia, her becoming a naturalized citizen, EJ, Ray, Dearing and anything and anyone in between. It was all that (and more) that culminated to bring them where they are at this moment – standing in his living room figuring out if their drinks and their time out of the bullpen together are something they want to be doing more of and a bit more official.

But they also knew that despite growth and time, making them 'more official' was not something they could take lightly. Tony and Ziva were both looking form something more permanent in their lives and while they understood that they would always be a permanent fixture in the other's life some way or another, this would be different. And it wasn't just them that their relationship would affect; it involved the team, those they considered family. Dynamics would shift no matter what happened. No matter if they brought their relationship into work with them or left it outside where belongs. It would change and while they could do everything they could to make that shift a little less noticeable, it would still happen. If they were going to do this relationship thing, they were going to do it all the right ways. There was too much at stake for Tony and Ziva to not put their time and work into making their relationship work.

Tony was the one to break the silence that had fallen amongst them. "Look, Ziva, I know that we're both a little terrified as to what we're getting into. It's not just another relationship – it's you and me. And we're romantically dysfunctional, but I would like to be in your life in more ways."

Ziva gave him a small smile as he referred to their conversation from months ago. "Tony, I care about you, I think that much is obvious. And I do not want to live with regrets. I do not want to regret not giving us a chance despite what may or may not happen. I believe if we keep ignoring what is between us, that may be worse that than anything that happens to us a couple. We do not need to repeat what happened in our past relationships."

It was there that Ziva stopped, realizing she had said 'couple'. It wasn't so much that they were avoiding the word, it just wasn't something that they had chosen to use. This was them – talking about taking their relationship to another level and becoming a couple, but trying to not use that word if it was possible. It was that reason that they actually needed to have a conversation now, not just assume anything about them or what the other wants. But the use of the word couple, it made it all the more real. Made what they were doing all the more real. They would be a couple – partners both on and off the job.

"Being a couple, I want that Ziva. I'm just worried. I can't help but think of the things that might screw us up, not keep us together. But at the same time, I think going out to dinner on a Friday night and having a lazy Sunday because we can sounds pretty damn good."

Ziva stepped forward, put her arms around Tony's neck, and put her lips against his. It wasn't an urgent kiss, not one of lust, just a kiss that assured him that she wanted to be a couple. With him.

"So we're giving this, us, a go then?"

Again, Ziva didn't answer him, but put her lips on his. This time though, it turned into something more. It reminded them of their first time undercover, except this one, however, was filled with more passion and desire and longing for the other. One that happens between a couple whose sexual chemistry is undeniable not partners who just met a few months back. It quickly turned to a battle of dominance with their tongues while Tony and Ziva made their way back to his bedroom where they would stay the rest of the night.

* * *

Ziva awoke the next morning (and that's pushing it seeing as how it was almost 11) fully aware that she did not sleep in her own bed nor was she wearing any clothes. Despite the fact that she did not wake up in her bed, she did wake up alone. Tony's voice singing the sounds of Sinatra told her he was in the kitchen, so she grabbed his shirt from the day before and made her way to his location. Ziva noticed that he was not paying attention in the slightest between singing and fixing breakfast, so she just sat there on one of the bar stools waiting for him to notice her. It was a few verses later before Tony turned around and saw Ziva sitting there with a smirk on her lips.

"Shit, Ziva, you scared me."

"I am sorry, but I did not want to interrupt the show."

"Well, I am going to forgive you, but only because you look really hot in my shirt." He gave her a quick peck on the lips before handing her some coffee. "French toast will be ready in a moment. So do you have any plans for the day?"

"Already sick of me?" Ziva answered and asked in jest.

"No, I'm actually quite fond of you, again, especially when you look like that," Tony gave her one his looks that was reserved only for her before getting back to what he was saying. "But seeing as how last night and this morning wasn't exactly planned, you could have plans. You shouldn't cancel them just because we're going out now. I don't want to be one of those couples who is constantly bailing on their friends to only hang out with each other."

Ziva thought it was in both of their best interests if she did not bring up like how he was when he was with Jeanne, even if was just undercover. "I agree. Space is healthy in a relationship, especially this early, and especially when we see each other so much during the week. But in answer to your question, no I do not have any plans for the day. I was just going to relax. However, if an offer were to come along, I might just have to say yes."

"In that case, how about we head out after we finish breakfast?"

"I am going to need to go home and get ready first. What will we be doing?"

"That is for me to know and you to find out. Now, enjoy your French toast."

While this breakfast thing was something they hadn't done for seven years, and even then it was very informal, it felt very comfortable for the two of them. It was definitely something they could get used to doing if things stayed on the right track.

"That was delicious, Tony," Ziva said before giving him a kiss of thanks.

"If you think that's good, you should try my chicken piccata sometime. Not much beats it."

"If not much beats it, why am I just now hearing about it for the first time?"

"I only like to break it our for special occasions or special people." He gave her a wink before getting started on the dishes.

"I will do these, Tony, since you cooked. Go get ready so we can leave."

Tony got in the shower and Ziva finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaning up. By the time she had put her clothes on, Tony was just about ready to go. As much as Ziva loved the suits he wore, she also had to admit that she loved his non-work clothes. There was just something about the way his ass looked in a pair of jeans.

"I was thinking you could take your car back to your place and then I'll just follow and we can take my car from there."

"Sounds good."

It was about an hour later before they were finally ready to go. Like Ziva, Tony loved her non-work clothes. It was something else to see her in capris, a nicer tank-top and flip-flops. Nobody would guess that this was the same ass-kicking chick who could take down a suspect twice her size in no time. It was actually something Tony quite enjoyed.

* * *

Tony drove them in his car to the nearest metro station and it wasn't until they were getting off at their stop did Ziva realize they were at the National Zoo.

"We are going to the zoo?"

"We are. Is this okay?" Tony asked after hearing the hint of apprehension in her voice.

"I have never been to the zoo before – nobody has ever taken me."

Tony couldn't help but be a little sad about that, so now he was determined to make is a day Ziva wouldn't forget.

"Well then, let's get going. Wouldn't want you to miss anything."

The two of them wandered around the zoo for hours taking in all the different exhibits. Seeing Ziva's face light up every time they came to a new animal that she fell in love with made Tony really glad he came with this idea. It was something different and it was good for them to just get outside (without the presence of a dead body or one Leroy Jethro Gibbs) and enjoy themselves. Tony took Ziva to look at the 'porcuswines' just so he could give her a hard time about them. It probably wasn't his smartest idea because she ended up threatening him with the damn zoo map they picked up at the entrance. Ziva found it hilarious that he shut up at the mere threat of a piece of paper. Out of all the different exhibits they saw during the day, Ziva had to admit that the cat one, more specifically the tigers, were her favorites. Before they left, Ziva went to the restroom and Tony snuck into the gift shop. He was able to make it back out before Ziva reemerged and then he presented her with her gift: a stuffed baby tiger.

"I know the tigers were your favorites, so now, you will always have one."

"Tony…thank you. You are sweet."

He bent down a bit to give her a sweet, albeit short, kiss. As much as she would have liked the kissing to continue, the family friendly zoo was not exactly the place for it. They took off down the street hand-in-hand before stopping in a little café to get dinner.

It was funny how not even twenty four hours ago they were worried about what them being in a relationship and being a couple might mean, but today showed them how good it can be. They get along (for the most part) but when taken out of the work setting and given a new title, things seem to click for them. This is not to say that all of their days are going to be like this, because they aren't, but it was comforting for Tony and Ziva to know that they can easily slip into the role of couple and not feel strange about it. They can be themselves and enjoy each other's company without pressure from anything or anyone. They still had things to figure out and they knew there would be bumps-that may turn into mountains-along the way, but it was reassuring for them to know that being a couple could work well for them.

After they both ordered, Tony had a question for Ziva. "What are we going to do about us and the team?"

"Well, I do not think that we should keep it a secret, per se, but that does not mean we should flaunt it either. If people ask what is going on with us, we can tell them the truth, but I am comfortable keeping it to the less who know the better."

Tony was okay with that because he knew how much she liked to keep her work and personal life separate, and he did too, to a certain degree. "Okay, that sounds good to me. I mean, I know it will be difficult to keep your hands off of all this all day," he said whilst gesturing to himself. "But just give it your best effort," Tony said with an accompanying smirk.

"Funny, DiNozzo. I am sure we are both professional enough to keep it out of the office. Well…one of us is professional enough," Ziva alleged eyeing him up and down.

"You wound me."

"I am just kidding. But I do not want to take us into the office."

"Don't worry, Ziva. I wouldn't do anything that would screw us over in both the job and relationship departments."

"I did not mean to imply-"

Tony cut her off before she could finish her thought. "I know you didn't and I just wanted to assure you."

With that, the heavy discussion was over and they moved onto lighter things to talk about during dinner. They spent most of their time together during the week at work, and now they were dating, but they still managed to find things to talk about. If they didn't, there was just a comfortable silence, nothing awkward. It was almost eight before they finished their meals.

* * *

"I have one more surprise for the evening, Ziva, if you're up for it."

"Lead the way."

Tony took her hand and they walked to the nearest metro station and took the Red. They got off at the spot closest to the Lincoln Memorial, but instead of the going where most of the tourists go, Tony led Ziva to the backside of the memorial. There were only a few people back there, but it was relatively quiet and somehow, still just as beautiful.

"Why the back of the memorial and not the front?" Ziva asked him.

"I ended up back here one day, found it was a great place to think and come back here if I ever need to clear my head. It's quiet."

Ziva leaned into his side and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

Tony just wrapped his arms around her and couldn't help but think maybe their relationship wouldn't be so hard after all.

* * *

A/N2: So, I know it says complete, but I left it sort of open-ended for a reason. It could just be this one shot, or I could continue if you all wanted me to. It's up to you.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not mine and I don't want it. It's too much pressure.

A/N: So, I have decided to continue this story. It seems like you guys wanted more, so here we go. The updates are going to be random (I already have part of the next chapter written), but I will not abandon this story. Promise. I have an outline as to where I want to go, but we'll see what the journey is like. This chapter kind of just took on a mind of it's own, not really sure what happened.

I'm hoping that I do justice to these characters and I'm going to try and make this journey as realistically as possible. It's not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but the romance will always be there, so don't worry. If y'all have any comments or suggestions, I am more than happy to hear them.

I love hearing your thoughts no matter what they are, so if you would be so kind as to leave reviews, I would really appreciate it.

Sorry for this novel of an A/N, so now on with the story.

* * *

That next Monday found Tony and Ziva at work acting as though nothing different was between them. They had been bogged down by a case the week before so nobody had anytime to question if anything different was happening between them. But it was like they said: they could both be professional at work though there was a significant change in their relationship. Sure, there were a couple more looks between them here and there, but nobody really thought anything of it. They just figured it was Tony and Ziva being Tony and Ziva. They were still working on the same case that had presented itself on Friday – the murder of a Petty Officer. McGee caught a break and found that the petty officer had some issues involving his girlfriend. And his girlfriend's other boyfriend.

"Go talk to him. Tony, take Ziva," Gibbs told them.

The two grabbed their bags and made their way to the elevator. Tony waited until the elevator doors closed before speaking up.

"I'm driving. As much as I enjoy your driving Speed Racer, I think it's too early in our relationship for one of us to be dying at the hands of the other."

"Are the quicks about my driving never going to get old?"

"I believe you mean quips, and probably not," Tony responded.

They got out of the elevator and Ziva made quick work to get the keys and get on the driver side before Tony even had a chance to get two steps off the elevator.

"Next time, you will not make a _quip _about my driving. Come on, Tony. You can complain on our way to talk to our suspect."

Tony, however, decided that it was in his best interest not to say anything else about Ziva's driving for fear of what might actually happen now that she was behind the wheel. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Tony asked her a question.

"So how was your day yesterday? Did you do anything fun?" Despite having an active case, Gibbs gave them Sunday off after they worked themselves into the ground on both Friday and Saturday. They figured he was going soft in his old age or because they were still recovering from everything Dearing had thrown their way, spending all week and all weekend at work would not be good for anybody.

"No. I just cleaned up my apartment and ran some errands. Did you?"

"Pretty much the same thing. We could have done nothing together."

Though Tony meant for it to be a joke, he could not help the seriousness that crept up into his voice. "Tony, we talked about this. We cannot be spending all of our time together; it is not healthy. The relationship would end faster than it began."

He knew she was right. If they wanted this to work, they had to give each other some breathing room. If they didn't…well it probably would not be a great result.

"I know. I'm still getting used to us being us."

Ziva gave him a small smile. "Since you didn't get to see me yesterday, how about you come over tonight and I will make us dinner."

"I'll be there."

They were about to reach their suspects house, so they went over his file to make sure they had all the details. After talking with the boyfriend, they found out that he could not have committed the murder because he had an alibi in the form of another girlfriend. Unfortunately for Team Gibbs, it seemed as though this was not going to be as open-and-shut as they would have liked.

"Oh my God, what is with there people?!" Tony exclaimed as they got in the car to head back to the Navy Yard. "Our dead Petty Officer's girlfriend was cheating on him and then the guy she was cheating on him with, had a girl on the side. How? Who has the time and energy to do all that?"

"I do not know, Tony, but I think you should calm down a little bit."

"I'm calm. I'm good."

By the time they got back to the Navy Yard, they still had no new leads. They had checked financial statements, email accounts, phone calls and texts, and still nothing came up. It was now eight and it looked as though their chances of getting out at a decent hour was slowly slipping through their fingers.

Tony's phone beeped signaling he had a text. _Rain check? For the next meal we have available?_

_I'll be there._ was his response.

They got back to working on every angle they could think of until Gibbs sent them home for the night some odd hours later. Too tired to actually do anything, Tony and Ziva headed back to their respective apartments.

* * *

The team worked all the next day chasing down the few leads that they found, but those got them nowhere. It was as though they could not win with this case. Deciding that they would not be able to get anymore done for the evening, Gibbs told them to go home at a reasonable hour. Ziva drove to her place and started getting dinner ready for when Tony would come over a little later.

Ziva answered when the doorbell rang and was greeted with a sweet kiss on the lips.

"You have no idea how bad I wanted to do that," Tony told Ziva before giving her a kiss with more urgency than the previous one. Their kiss ended when the oven timer went off and Ziva had to let the noodles that had been cooking drain.

"I hope alfredo is okay. I am too tired to make much of anything else."

"That's fine. I honestly wasn't expecting you to do much."

Ziva finished with the pasta while Tony fixed them a small salad each to go with their meal. Since they both had not eaten since lunch, there was a lot more eating than there was talking. About halfway through their meal, Ziva spoke up.

"I think we need a rule, Tony. I don't think we should talk about work when we are together. I mean the cases, not the people we work with. I know there are the cases that are harder for us to shake than others and if we need to talk about them, then we should, but our smaller cases should stay at work. And I know we have not talked about it tonight, but I do not want to. We already deal with the dark stuff so much, I do not want to bring it home as well."

"Sounds good to me. The less we talk about work and the Boss when we're together, the better."

They finished their dinner and talked about random things before heading over to the sofa and settling on some show on the Food Network. Ziva got comfy in Tony's arms. For being someone who was big on her personal space and wasn't a big proponent of PDA, Ziva found it to be different with Tony. She didn't mind being in his arms like this, in fact, she particularly enjoyed the comfort it brought. Even though she was comfortable with Tony, there was this thought that would not leave her alone.

"Tony. Does it bother you that I keep asking all of this from you and our relationship? I am not trying to constrict us, but I do not want us to get hurt by something simple we could have prevented."

Her question and admission startled Tony and he had to think about it for a moment before answering. "No. I understand where you're coming from and why you're asking it. We aren't like normal couples, our daily life is not like normal couples, but in order for us to have a legitimate shot at longevity, we need to have some sense of normalcy. If that means taking time away from each other, or setting a boundary on what we talk about, then so be it. I hope you're not worried that I think you're making too many rules. I'm not. I'm sure I might have said something at some point, but you know me. I'm more of a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Figure it out as we go along. But now I'm also realizing something. Yes, we've both been in relationships before, but one like this is new for us. It's new territory. If we don't talk about things and figure stuff out, we're going to get screwed. But now that we're figuring it now, it will save us some trouble that may come up in the future. Ziva, right now, even if we only are two weeks in, this is going great. Better than I expected to be honest, and I want it to continue that way. So we come up with rules, take our time, do what feels right, and whatever happens, happens." He dropped a kiss to her forehead and turned his attention back to the television.

After listening to his monologue, Ziva felt less anxious about all that she was asking of him and them. She honestly wasn't trying to put out so many restrictions, so-to-speak, and Tony hit the nail on the head when he said they needed some sense of normalcy to make this work. She too turned her attention back to Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It was only to ask Tony something about one of the restaurants on the show did Ziva notice he was dozing off.

"Come on, Tony. Let us go to bed."

"Not tonight, Ziva. Too tired," Tony mumbled sleepily.

"I meant go to sleep." She got up so Tony could also get up and after turning everything off, the two made their way back to her bedroom where they both fell into a dreamless sleep.

Tony awoke at quarter till six the next morning groaning as he realized he would have to go back to his place since he forgot to bring another change of clothes.

"Ziva," he whispered to the sleeping figure next to him trying to get her attention. "Ziva." She only stirred a bit, but it was enough for him to know that she heard him. "I have to go back to my place and get ready, but I didn't want you to wonder where I was. I'll see you at work." She grumbled an okay into her pillow and went back to sleep knowing she had to be up shortly.

* * *

It was a couple of hours after they arrived when Abby called them down to her lab saying she had found something. After going over the Petty Officer's clothing again, she noticed a partial fingerprint on the branch tape. Having run it through AFIS all night, a match was found this morning.

They went to interview the suspect, who, as it turns out, was an ex-felon who wanted money the Petty Officer didn't have. It was funny how their case dragged on, but it was as simple as that. Tony was shocked that it wasn't somebody involved in the love triangle. Or was it love pentagon? After getting back to the Navy Yard, they finished their paperwork before heading out for the evening. Tony asked Ziva if she wanted to join him for dinner, but she politely declined.

Not letting her no get him down, Tony gave her another offer. "Okay, but you are getting me all of Friday night and all of Saturday, so don't even think of getting out of it."

"I am looking forward to it," Ziva replied before getting in her car and driving home.

* * *

Thursday passed uneventfully with Team Gibbs only having to do paperwork, and thankfully, Friday was the same way. Tony was glad he wouldn't have to cancel the reservation he made for him and Ziva. He sent her a text telling her to be ready at 7:30 in something nice. She laughed at his vagueness, but agreed.

Tony arrived at Ziva's apartment at 7:30 dressed sharp and ready for a date night with his girlfriend. The Ziva who answered the door was definitely not the same Ziva whom he left at work just an hour and a half ago. This Ziva had her hair down in its naturally curly state. She had on a midnight blue cocktail dress that came down mid-thigh, hugged her legs, but had a draped bodice and split ¾ length sleeves. She finished the look with some 2-inch black stilettos.

"Wow," was all that came out of Tony's mouth.

"You like?" She asked with a seductive smile teasing at her lips.

"Oh, you have no idea. I really like this whole relationship thing if it means I get to see you in outfits like this."

"Funny, Tony. Now, shall we go?"

Ziva locked up her place and grabbed onto Tony's arm as he led them out to his car. He opened her door like the gentleman he was before going around to the driver's side.

"Are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"No," was Tony's very short answer.

"You like surprises in relationships, apparently, do you not?" Ziva inquired.

Now that he thought about it, Tony didn't tell her where they were going on their first date to the zoo either. He let out a small laugh. "Just with you, I guess," he replied. "Gotta have some mystery left in the relationship since we already know a lot about each other."

"I suppose. But I am sure there are still things about me that may surprise you."

"Well, Ms. David, I can't wait to heat what those things are." He turned to give her a small wink and she gave him that smile he loved in return and they settled into their comfortable silence the rest of the way to the restaurant.

Tony pulled into the closest spot he could find but told Ziva they would still have to walk a couple of blocks. They walked hand-in-hand, until Tony stopped them in front of Kellari Taverna – a nice Greek and Seafood restaurant located in DC.

"Is this a good surprise?"

"Very much so. You are setting the bar high with your surprises." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before they worked their way to the hostess stand.

"Reservation for two under DiNozzo at eight, please," he told the hostess.

"It'll be just one moment. They're finishing clearing off your table."

He thanked her and they went to stand in the only place that was open in an otherwise very crowded restaurant. Not two minutes later, they were being led to their table.

"What made you choose this place, Tony?" Ziva asked while she was perusing the menu.

"I always wanted to try it, but didn't have anybody to try it with. Plus, I thought you would enjoy it."

"I do, thank you. You are being awfully sweet."

"You deserve it. I know we've only been dating two weeks, but I like this. A lot. Feels good."

"I agree."

They met halfway across the table for a small kiss. Yes, they had only officially been together for a week, but it was easy for them. They didn't have to try and for the two who were romantically dysfunctional, it was nice.

The two spent a couple hours at dinner talking about anything and everything. Tony shared some interesting tales from his time at boarding school, Ziva would laugh, and then she would say something that made Tony laugh. It was easy for them to abide by their "no work at home rule" because they found other things to fill the conversation with. When dinner was over, they opted to skip dessert at the restaurant and instead walk to the nearest ice cream shop, relishing in the nice October weather DC had to offer. They got their ice cream and sat on a near by park bench enjoying the people walking by.

"Do you have any plans for us tomorrow?" Ziva asked Tony.

"I don't, actually. Do you?"

She shook her head in the negative.

"I figured we could just play it by ear and see where the day takes us."

"Will you make your chicken piccata for me?"

"In due time. In due time."

Once done with their ice cream, they lazily made their way back to where the car was parked. Tony brought them back to his place and the coffee he said he was going to make was soon forgotten when their clothes hit the floor before they even made it to the bedroom.

Tony and Ziva awoke the next morning in each other's arms with the sheets tangled around them.

* * *

"Good morning," Tony said as he gave Ziva a kiss. She let out a content sigh as the kiss deepened. "I know how we can start our day," Tony told her out of breath after they broke apart.

"Oh really?"

"Oh yes," Tony whispered hungrily.

The kissing became urgent and passionate very quickly and Tony and Ziva were soon in the process of burning many calories.

The couple got out of bed a couple hours later and made their way to a coffee shop for a very late breakfast. They then headed back to Tony's apartment and spent the rest of the day lounging and watching movies. It wasn't a particularly exciting day, but that was fine by them. They didn't need to do anything exciting because it was the spending time outside of the workplace and being together that they liked. Afternoon slowly rolled into evening and soon the sun was setting. Tony, not feeling like cooking, and Ziva claiming that since she cooked last time it wasn't her turn, ordered take-out from a Chinese place that knew him by name. They watched another Bond film before Ziva started falling asleep and Tony decided it was time to take her home.

Tony walked Ziva to her door and they stood under the door frame for a couple of minutes make out like teenagers until Ziva decided that she actually did need to go inside and go to sleep. Tony gave her one last kiss goodnight and told her he would see her Monday because this this is what they did now and they both were more than okay with it.

* * *

A/N2: I don't know why there was so much case in this chapter, I think I just needed it to move along, but as you can tell, I suck at writing them, so there will not be as much cases in the future chapter.

As always, reviews are much appreciated. Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not much has changed since the last time, so it's still not mine.

A/N: Another day, another chapter. But don't get used to them always being posted this quickly. Like I said before, it will be random posting. But here we are. More Tony and Ziva for you. Also, I have to give props to my friend who lives in DC because he unintentionally fills me with inspiration after he talks about stuff he's done. I wish I had his life sometimes.

I love your reviews, I appreciate them immensely, so please, keep them coming! Now, on with the story.

* * *

Over the next month, Tony and Ziva comfortably fell into a nice routine. They would have dinner and a sleepover one night during the workweek and then spend Friday night and all of Saturday together, except for the two times they caught a case. This worked for them. They were able to be Agents David and DiNozzo when called for without couple Tony and Ziva coming up or vice versa. Sure, the two had their spats here and there, but they wouldn't be them if they didn't. But the one thing they didn't do was allow their personal lives to seep over into their work lives. Nevertheless, Tony and Ziva were pleasantly surprised. They were surprised at how easy things seemed to be going for them. Despite the spats, they hadn't encountered any real issues. Maybe they were over thinking the work they believed their relationship would require, or maybe they were inputting all the work, but because it felt good, it felt easy. They didn't know what was going on, but they were glad for it. Although, Tony's mind seemed to be going someplace else at the current moment.

"You know because everything is going so well, shit is going to hit the fan pretty soon," Tony told her over a late lunch at the vending machines. "One of us can only be happy for so long before something bad happens. In this case, both of us have been happy for awhile, so something bad is going to happen."

Though Ziva was thrown a little off balance from his out-of-the-blue comment, she had to admit, he was right. They didn't get to be happy for very long before something came along and took that from them and handed them a pile of crap instead. It was, unfortunately, how their lives worked.

"That is true. Maybe we have paid our debts and can actually be happy."

"It's _dues,_" Tony corrected automatically before addressing the point of her statement. "I hope you're right, Ms. David. I'm not sure I can take much more of the crap we keep getting thrown."

It was a little strange, they both realized, how Tony chose to use the words she used more or less when they were in the elevator after Franks had died and when they were stuck in there because of the bombing. Yes, it was strange, but it also showed that a person can only take so much before they lose it and maybe as much as they both told themselves differently, they could be close.

"At least now, if we feel like we cannot take much more, we will have each other." Though they leaned on each other before, this time it was different and they both knew it. Tony told Gibbs after Dearing attacked that it must have been nice having someone to talk with for awhile, but now he had that with Ziva. And it was nice. It was nice knowing they could both count on the other to always be there in that way now.

"No matter what happens, you know you can always count on me, Ziva." Tony leaned across the table they had moved to and gave her a quick peck on the lips. They were against PDA in the workplace, but after the sudden turn of the conversation to a pretty serious place, they needed the comfort that a kiss between them could give. Tony also decided they needed something else: "So I know that we've already had our night this week, but I think we should enjoy the good as much as possible."

"I agree. What did you have in mind?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll think of something and it will be good."

After about a month and a half of dating Tony, Ziva learned to stop questioning his surprises. No matter how hard she tried, he wouldn't budge, and she had to admit that she was starting to enjoy them. Tony was right – it was good for their relationship to have some mystery in it.

"Do you have an extra pair of clothes with you or would you need to go home and get some? Cause I figure we could just leave straight from work and you could stay with me tonight," Tony continued.

"No, I have some in the trunk of my car."

"Good. One less stop to make."

After making their way back to the bullpen, Gibbs informed them they once they finished their paperwork on the case they wrapped that morning, they could go home for the night. Only he didn't say it in so many words.

* * *

Both Tony and Ziva finished their paperwork a little while later, neither having to wait around for the other. They left for the evening, with their boss nor McGee questioning their leaving together as it had become a somewhat regular occurrence.

"Okay, so we have one stop to make before our destination," Tony said as they got in the car.

Not twenty minutes later were they pulling into the parking lot of Whole Foods.

"Whole Foods for our date? Tony, you should not have done this! This is too much!"

"Your sarcasm is noted, Zee-vah," Tony said while receiving a smirk from her. "But no, this is just a stop on the way. We need supplies. Now, what would you like for dinner?"

They picked up something pre-made from the deli (because as Tony had told her, they wouldn't have anywhere to cook it), a caprice salad, two pieces of cheesecake because neither were willing to share their piece, and a nice bottle of pinot noir.

They got back into the car and Tony drove them until they got to the entrance of Georgetown Waterfront Park.

Tony got out of the food and a blanket from his trunk that he always kept in there, led them over to a quiet area, laid the blanket down, and motioned for Ziva to sit.

"A picnic?" Ziva asked as she made herself comfortable on the blanket.

"Yep. Just you, me, and Mother Nature."

They got the food out the bag, poured themselves a glass of wine, got comfortable, and enjoyed their picnic.

"You are spoiling me, Tony," Ziva told him once they finished up their meal.

"That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"No, I will not stop you from spoiling me, I am just pointing it out. I like it."

"Good."

Tony opened his legs a bit, so Ziva crawled into that space, leaned her back against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her torso.

"This is nice," Tony mused.

"I agree. I like that I am able to see some of the stars, too. It is beautiful tonight."

Despite it being the end of October and rather close to November, it wasn't terribly cold and the sky was clear. Neither were sure how long this was going to last, so they were taking advantage of it while they could. Tony and Ziva just sat there with no care, no need to have a conversation, but just sat there enjoying what they had right now – which was no work, no prying eyes, just them and the night sky. They didn't know the time, they didn't know how long they had been there, and frankly, they didn't care. They didn't have a reason to. Maybe they would need to head back soon because they had work tomorrow morning, but work was the farthest thing from their mind because nor Tony or Ziva could remember they last time they were so content to sit outside.

"Ziva," Tony spoke her name quietly as to not scare her.

"Mmm?"

"I think we need to make this picnic dinner thing a regular occurrence."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Ziva moved her head as to give Tony a better angle to get to her lips. He gave her short sweet kisses before Ziva moved her head back to lean against his chest. He gave her another kiss on her head before resting his chin on the same spot.

"Now," Tony began, "if only I had some animal crackers."

Ziva was a little confused at this. She didn't even know Tony liked animal crackers or what caused him to say this. Tony was known to say some random things a lot of the time, but those things never involved animal crackers. "Why would you want animal crackers?"

"Then it would be like in Armageddon, Ziva. Ben Affleck's character walks animal crackers over Liv Tyler's. We'll just add this to the list of movies you need to see."

"You have a list going of the movies that I need to see?"

"Well technically, I just started it." They both let out small laughs at that, "but I'm sure it'll be a rapidly growing list."

"I will have you know that I watch plenty of movies, Tony."

"Oh really? What was the last movie you saw then? By yourself," Tony felt the need to clarify.

It took Ziva a moment to think about it. She couldn't come up with an answer, so she decided to ask her own question. "What was the last book you read, Tony? An actual novel."

Like Ziva, it took Tony a moment before he could even answer her and even they it wasn't an answer to her question. It couldn't even be classified as an answer, but more of an avoidance like a suspect in interrogation would use.

"Man, it really is beautiful tonight," Tony said whilst looking up at the sky.

"Yeah, that is what I thought."

"Okay, fine, I get your point. However, that doesn't mean that I can't want have a list of movies going that you need to see."

"No, it does not."

"That's what I thought. Hey, do you know what time it is?"

Ziva checked her watch. "It is already 10:00. I cannot believe that we have been here for almost three hours."

"Time flies when you're with your beautiful girlfriend enjoying the night."

Ziva gave him a sweet smile. "Do you think we should get going? After all, we do have to get up and go to work tomorrow." Though as Ziva was saying this, she gave no indication that she actually wanted to move.

"I think we can stay for a little while longer if we want."

They did switch up their positions a bit because Tony's back was starting to bother him from sitting in the same position for so long. He laid down on the blanking, facing up, and Ziva curled into his side, draping an arm over his stomach and putting her head on his chest.

"So, your birthday is coming up? Any plans? Is Abby planning this huge blowout of a bash in your honor?"

"I do not believe so. She has not said anything. I hope she is not planning a big party; she knows that I do not like them."

"So what do you want to do then?"

"Dinner with the team will be nice. I don't want to do anything big, but be with those I care about."

Tony gave her a chaste kiss before replying. "And then after dinner we'll really celebrate your birthday," he whispered in a suggestive voice with a wink.

"You are insatiable, Tony."

"You knew this going in."

"That I did."

Ziva lifter her head, Tony lowered his, and their lips met. Every time Tony and Ziva kissed, it was as though this spark was going off. Their sexual chemistry is undeniable, and it had been that way from the beginning, but when they kissed, it was like their chemistry intensified by 1000. Their kissing very quickly became much more passionate and much more urgent and Ziva found herself on top of Tony which was just the way she liked it. He granted her tongue access and they battled for dominance. Tony thread his hands through Ziva's hair, glad she was keeping it more curly as of late. When Ziva pulled away to catch her breath, Tony continued to plant small kisses on any open skin. His lips soon made their way back to hers and they picked up with as much intensity as the left off with.

It was the shrill ringing of Tony's phone that brought them apart and it was probably a good thing as they were on the path headed towards public indecency and it would not look good if two NCIS agents were arrested because they were having sex. In a park. Unfortunately, because nobody outside of work would call them at this hour, they knew who was calling and why he was calling.

"DiNozzo."

"Call McGee. Call Ziva. Got a dead body in North Arlington. I'll have someone send you the address."

Tony barely got out an "okay" before Gibbs hung up the phone. Never one for small talk, that one.

"We got a body in North Arlington. We need to meet him there. This was fun while it lasted."

He got to his feet and then helped Ziva up. They gathered all of their belongings and headed back to where the car was parked. Tony put the stuff in the trunk and called McGee to let him know what was happening while Ziva got in the car and put on the other shirt she had with her so she would be a bit "fresher" as she put it.

Tony made his way around to the driver's side and then proceeded to drive to the crime scene.

"Not the ending I had in mind for this evening."

"No, but I enjoyed it all the same," Ziva replied leaning over the console to give Tony a kiss on the cheek. He did have to admit, they had a really great date.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: I actually had the next chapter ready to be posted, but something happened that prevented me from doing so. So while I was waiting to post that one, I came up with this one. But because I posted this one, the next one should be up soon. Does that make sense? Either way, just know Chapter 5 will be up soon.

So again, I have to thank my buddy in DC who was telling me about Sandy and unintentionally providing inspiration. He's awesome.

Also, sorry if they seem OCC. I'm working hard to make sure it's not so bad.

Okay. Sorry for the book of an A/N, now, on with the story.

* * *

"Tony, it is a lot worse than it was earlier this afternoon. It is even worse than when we left work an hour ago," Ziva told him from her position by the window.

The worst of Hurricane Sandy was beginning and while DC was not being hit nearly as hard as the New England area was, the rain was still coming down hard and the wind was still howling. The city was taking precautions; schools were shut down, businesses were closed, and people were encouraged to stay indoors if at all possible. So Tony and Ziva went back to his place after work and were watching the news to see how Hurricane Sandy was developing. Ziva left her post by the window and came to the couch and took her usual spot next to Tony.

"This is getting absolutely crazy. I mean, there's a shark, on a street, in New Jersey. That kind of stuff only happens in the movies. These pictures look like they came from _The Day After Tomorrow_," Tony said as ZNN showed more images of the scenes coming out of the East Coast. Ziva had to agree with him. Never had she seen such natural disasters while living in Israel and though she had been in America for quite some time now, it was still something she was getting used to. Last year it was an earthquake, and this year, it's Hurricane Sandy. 'What next? A wildfire?' Ziva thought before turning her attention back to the screen. It was the ringing of Tony's cellphone a short while later that had them both turn their attention away from the broadcast.

"Seriously? I guess a freakin' hurricane doesn't stop anybody from committing any crimes," Tony exclaimed after seeing Gibbs' name pop-up on the caller ID. "Yeah Boss?"

_Vance called. Unless there's a case, he doesn't want people coming in tomorrow. Too dangerous._

"Really?"

_Yep. Call you if anything changes. _And with that, the line was dead.

"Do we have a case?" Ziva questioned.

"Opposite, actually. Vance doesn't want us to come in because-" Tony was interrupted because this time, it was Ziva's cell going off. Her conversation with Gibbs lasted just as long as Tony's did.

"Because he does not want us to be out in this weather unless we absolutely need to be," Ziva finished Tony's earlier statement.

"Well, I'll take it. I never say no to an unexpected day off in the middle of the work week."

"Yes. It does only happen once in a blue lagoon," Ziva agreed.

Tony let out a small laugh. "It's moon. Not lagoon. You're never gonna get that one right, are ya?"

"Would you like sex tonight, Tony?" Ziva asked in a clipped tone.

"What I meant was, I think it's cute how you're always saying lagoon instead of moon," Tony said sheepishly.

Ziva gave him a small kiss. "Better." She gave him one more kiss before turning back to the ZNN feed. They were now discussing how the NYU-Medical Center's generator failed and they had to transfer the PICU and NICU patients.

"This is horrible," Ziva whispered.

Tony tightened his arm around her, sensing she needed the comfort at the moment. He knew Ziva hated situations that she had no control over and especially situations where she couldn't help anybody. She snuggled a bit more into Tony's chest, reveling in the comfort he brought her.

"Why don't we watch a movie? I'll keep the ZNN homepage up on my laptop, but continually watching the news isn't going to do anything nor is it all that good."

Ziva nodded in agreement and since he didn't feel like getting up to put in a movie, Tony perused the collection of movies he had saved on his DVR.

"Okay…there's _Our Idiot Brother_, or _A Better Life_, or _Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy_, or-"

"Let's watch _A Better Life_."

"Sounds good."

* * *

"I can definitely see why he was nominated for an Oscar," Tony observed as the credits were rolling."

"Yes, he was very good. It was an interesting film."

"I like Chris Weitz. He's done some good movies, like American Pie? Classic. We're gonna forget that he ever directed one of those Twilight films, but 'About a Boy'? Another good one."

"I have not seen that one."

"Well then, it's going on our little list."

"I look forward to it. Any updates on the hurricane?"

Tony looked on the ZNN homepage, but did not see anymore breaking news. "They're reporting all the blackouts in the New York area. Come take a look at this picture. It's New York City without power. The city that never sleeps has gone dark. That's wild."

It was a whole other sight, Ziva agreed. Seeing New York City dark except for midtown Manhattan was something else. "We are fortunate we have not lost power yet."

"Yeah, from the looks of it, a lot of DC, Maryland, and Virginia lost power. It's probably just a matter of time."

"This is why I told you to stock up on perishable foods and made sure you had candles."

"Yes, mom," Tony mocked.

"I thought you wanted sex tonight?" The look on Tony's face when Ziva said that told her that he instantly regretted saying that. Ziva liked knowing that instead of threatening Tony bodily harm to get her way, she could just withhold sex.

"What I meant was, I'm lucky to have such a great girlfriend who looks out for me when they are crazy storms," Tony said sweetly.

"You are right. You are." Tony gave her a sweet kiss. It was after his lips left hers that they lost power.

"Wow, that is some timing."

"It is. Now what will we do with ourselves?"

"Oh, I can think of a few things. I think number one would be to make sure we stay warm. Wouldn't want either of us freezing to death."

"That would be bad. What do you propose we do?" Ziva purred.

"Let me show you, Miss David." They made their way to his bedroom, and fell back on the bed kissing each other hungrily.

Tony and Ziva eventually wore themselves out hours later after making sure that the other was as warm as possible and wasn't going to be getting cold anytime soon.

* * *

It was around nine the next morning when the couple woke up. They lazily laid in bed for a while enjoying their unexpected day off before getting up to do anything. Because the weather was not as bad as it had been the previous day, and Tony's power was still out, they decided to venture out to see if anything was open. They happened upon a diner that was open, so the two got some brunch. Having not eaten anything but popcorn since lunch yesterday, to say they were both hungry would be an understatement.

"I will have the Denver omelet with the pancakes, and a side of hash browns," Tony told the waiter.

"And I will have the French toast. Thank you," Ziva added.

"That's all you're getting? I thought you were hungry?"

"I am," Ziva replied. "I am just going to steal some of your food."

"You think I'm gonna let you?"

Ziva gave him a sweet, yet not very innocent smile. "You and I both know you will."

"Yeah, we'll see."

"Yes, we will. After we have finished eating, I would like to go back to my place and see if there's any damage or if the power is out."

"Can do."

They made some chitchat until their food arrived, but they quickly silenced as food took priority. As predicted, Ziva stole some of Tony's food, but Tony didn't exactly put up a protest. After eating, they slowly made their way over to Ziva's apartment. There didn't appear to be any damage to her building or the surrounding area and for that, Ziva was thankful. It also appeared that Ziva's area was one of the lucky ones as they still had power.

"Would you like to stay with me, Tony, until the power comes back on in your building?" Ziva asked after a moment.

Tony really liked that idea, but he thought it be best if he didn't answer immediately after she asked the question. Instead, Tony took the usual DiNozzo route and sidestepped the answer he wanted to give and gave a non-answer instead.

"But me staying for an unknown period of time would break one of our rules. Staying over multiple nights on school nights? I don't know…"

"Extenuating circumstances. Or you can rough it like you did when the entire city lost power a couple of years ago."

"Oh yeah," Tony said as he remembered the case they worked on. Thinking back on that case had him incredibly hopeful that the Navy Yard did not lose power now because he did not want to have to go through solving cases like they did that one: the old-fashioned way. Bringing himself back to his current reality, Tony continued speaking. " If I recall correctly, you said something to McGoo about how it could be worse because you could be stuck in the elevator with yours truly."

"You remember correctly. I did say something like that."

"Now you've been stuck in an elevator with both of us and have had the chance to compare."

"You think I have compared my experiences of being stuck in an elevator?"

"No, actually, because since I am clearly the better person to be stuck with, you wouldn't need to compare. It wouldn't be fair to McGee."

Ziva gave him an incredibly serious face before answering. "Or maybe it would not be fair to you, Tony."

"Ha ha, Ziva. You and your sense of humor."

"Do I look as though I am joking?"

They had one of their infamous staring matches before Tony stepped forward and brought Ziva flush against his body and crashed his lips down on hers. His hands made their way to her hair while her arms found their way to the back of his neck. He then moved his hands lower down her body and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, all the while their lips never parting with each other's. They continued to make out in her living room until the need for air became absolutely necessary.

"You know, I was just joking, Tony," Ziva tried to get out while still catching her breath. "However, if you are going to do that whenever I kid about preferring McGee, I may have to do it more often."

"Ziva, you are a little tease. And your joke was not funny."

"I thought it was. I am sorry. Do you forgive me?"

Tony crashed his lips down on hers once more, clearly answering her question. It was another couple minutes before they broke apart.

"But back to your original question – yes, I would like to stay with you until my apartment has power again. I'll just go home and get some stuff that I'll need, then I'll be back."

"Okay. Be careful."

He gave her a quick kiss before setting her back down on the floor and then he set out to retrieve some things he would need. In the time Tony was gone, Ziva made sure her apartment was clean before starting on dinner for her and Tony. It took about two hours before Tony arrived back at Ziva's apartment.

"Hey. Mmm, what smells so good?" Tony asked walking through the door. He dropped his stuff off in her bedroom before making his way to the kitchen.

"I am making paella."

Tony gave her a kiss on the cheek thanking her. "You're spoiling me, Ziva."

She flashed him a smile. "Would you like me to stop?"

"Definitely no."

* * *

"Is there a reason you and Ziva keep coming into work together and leaving together?" McGee asked as her and Tony were following up on some leads from their current case.

It had been four days since Tony started staying with Ziva and this was the first time they had been asked about their attachment at the beginning and end of the days. Tony laughed internally. This week was certainly not the not the first time he and Ziva left or arrived together, but if he had to make a guess, it was their inconsistency in the past that kept people from wondering.

"Actually, McCurious, my power went out when the storm hit and it's not back yet, so Ziva offered me her place till my power comes back on."

"And you guys haven't killed each other yet? Must be some sort of record."

"Well, we're trying our best, Probie," Tony responded before walking away so the conversation couldn't continue.

In truth, it wasn't that difficult for the two of them. They fell into a nice routine. Sure, it felt a little domesticated the first two days, but they didn't think any more of it. The two partners were just enjoying the good that came out of Hurricane Sandy.

* * *

Please review! Share your comments, concerns, questions, anything. I love to hear from you all.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: I know this chapter is shorter than the others, but I like where it ends and didn't really want to add more.

Looking back on my other chapters, I realized that I really screwed up the timeline somehow, so let me clear that up. It didn't start directly after 10x01 ended (in September), but a bit after they were rescued from the elevator. Let's just say they're in month three. I screwed up, so my apologies on that. Should be all right now. We're going by Ziva's canon birthday (so let's pretend I'm uploading this on Monday).

Now on with the story.

* * *

Ziva was not a big fan of birthdays. When she was little, she enjoyed them because she would celebrate with her family. But all that changed with Tali's passing and her joining Mossad. Then, birthdays became just another day. All another birthday told was that she was getting closer to death. That wasn't anything to celebrate. Things changed when she came to NCIS. Though she still wasn't a fan of birthdays, she was brought back to her time as a child and was reminded that birthdays can be a good thing so long as people who care about you are helping you celebrate. This birthday was going to be different though than her past birthdays at NCIS because this year, she was dating Tony. That thought alone made her smile. The Tony who sat across from her everyday and spewed out movie quotes left and right was now her boyfriend who treated her kindness and respect. It was still something that made her baffled at times, but the confusion was always pushed aside by happiness. Tony had promised her that after her birthday dinner with the team, they were going to "properly celebrate", and who was she to say no to that?

Luckily, the team didn't have a case and was able to make it to the restaurant on time to celebrate Ziva's birthday. After much debate with Abby, they finally settled on the Mexican restaurant Los Cuates. Ziva's insistence that it be low-key was just about over-looked by Abby who wanted to celebrate in style at Fogo de Chao because according to Abby, "birthdays need to be celebrated, they aren't a time for humility," and that meant spending hundreds on one meal. It was when Ziva said that the dinner either be low-key or there be no dinner at all did Abby reluctantly agree on the other restaurant. The margaritas were fantastic, but the most important part of the dinner for Ziva was the seven people surrounding her at the table. As Ziva looked around the table and saw Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Abby, Ducky, Palmer and Breena, she thought that these people were the reason she should celebrate – not another year getting older. These people, her family, gave her something to celebrate. The man sitting directly across from her who just gave her, her smile gives her something to celebrate. The man sitting to her left who acts like a father to her gives her something to celebrate. So while Ziva may not like birthdays for what they actually are, she certainly has plenty of reason to celebrate.

They all chatted about various things throughout dinner. There were margaritas and beers being drunk and good conversation with good people. Though it was technically a dinner to celebrate Ziva's birthday, they all just enjoyed being able to do something together after the long last couple of months they endured. They were finally whole again and the team wasn't taking it for granted. After the singing of 'Feliz Cumpleanos", which was not agreed to by Ziva, Abby brought out the team's gift.

"Abby, I thought I told you no gifts," Ziva sighed. It was not a difficult request to listen to.

"You did, and I didn't listen. This is from everybody, except Tony. He wanted to listen to you. Said something about paperclips, I don't know." Ziva flashed him a small smile of appreciation, which he returned. "But it's from everybody, so you can't say no."

Ziva opened the envelope to find two tickets to the San Francisco Ballet at the Kennedy Center that weekend. She had wanted to go to this, but wasn't able to get tickets for the right date before they sold out. "Wow. Thank you so much. This means a lot to me. Thank you all," Ziva told them sincerely.

* * *

Everybody talked for a little longer, but it started getting late and they all had work the next day. The group started leaving one-by-one and after Abby left, it was just Ziva and Gibbs in the parking lot.

As they were saying their goodbyes, Gibbs brought something up that caught Ziva off guard. "How long have you and Tony been dating?"

Ziva was shocked, but knew she shouldn't have been. Gibbs may not be a man of many words, but there was no doubt in his investigative abilities and how he always seemed to know things. Ziva thought about lying, but that thought came and went. She and Tony decided they weren't going to lie if asked about their relationship status, and, she could never do that to Gibbs. "Around three months. How did you know?"

"The change in dynamic. Wasn't sure at first, but it started to become obvious." And here Ziva and Tony thought they were doing a good job. As if Gibbs could tell what she was thinking, he continued. "You haven't been blatantly obvious. The little things made me connect it."

"We were not trying to hide anything or keep it a secret, but we both agreed that it would be best for us and the team if we kept our personal and professional lives separate. We wanted to give us a chance, and keeping it out of the office and low-key is what we need to do."

"Ziver, I'm not mad and you don't need to defend your actions. I'm happy for you guys."

Ziva's eyes lit up at that. "Really?"

"May not seem like it, but I just want you guys to be happy. If being together does that, so be it. Even though I may be your boss, it's not my place to tell you otherwise."

"No rule 12?"

"Nah. You're keeping it out of the office, can't ask for much more."

Ziva couldn't help the glimmer of tears that came to her eyes. Though it was a little uncharacteristic for her, she leaned in to give Gibbs a hug clearly conveying her gratitude and happiness. "Thank you," she said as she stepped out of the hug.

Gibbs gave her a nod, a clear indication that he was done with this conversation, and gave Ziva one last "Happy birthday" before leaving her at her car. Ziva drove the short distance to her apartment and saw Tony's car sitting opposite of the building. He got out of the car while she was parking and made his way over to her.

"Hey," he greeted her. "What took so long for you to get back? I was beginning to think that our waiter came to whisk you away."

"No, I actually had an interesting conversation with Gibbs after Abby left," she told him as they entered her apartment.

Tony's curiosity peaked. "Oh?"

"Yes. He asked me how long you and I have been dating."

"Oh…" Tony's reaction was a bit like what Ziva's was when Gibbs asked her. He didn't know what else to say so he waited for Ziva to continue.

"Yes. I told him and he said he was happy for us."

"Gibbs is happy for us?" Tony questioned unable to believe it.

"I told him that we wanted to keep our personal and professional lives separate and he told me that I should not need to defend us and if being with each other makes us happy, then he is happy."

By this time, they had made their way to the couch with a glass of wine each. Tony was stretched out and Ziva made herself comfortable against his side like they had grown accustomed to doing for the pest three months.

"I don't understand. This sounds nothing like Gibbs. Are you sure it was the same Gibbs who is against fraternization in the workplace, builds boats for fun, and is, well, a functional mute?" Tony asked Ziva still having a hard time believing this conversation took place.

"I agree. He was uncharacteristically talkative and happy during our conversation, but you know Gibbs is one to surprise us. And you know deep down he wants what is best for us."

"I guess so. But still," Tony said unable to let the strangeness of it go.

Ziva, on the other hand, was ready to accept it for what it was: Gibbs caring about them. "Tony, please, let it go. Gibbs knows and he is fine with it."

Not being one who wants to argue with Ziva, Tony agreed. "Did you have a nice birthday?"

Ziva shook her head at his segue (or lack thereof) to a new a topic. "I did. Even though I said no gifts, I am very much looking forward to that. We will have fun. But it was good to celebrate it with everybody. I am glad Breena was able to come. She fits in well with everybody."

Tony gave her a kiss on the top of her head. He was glad that she was able to enjoy her birthday with everybody. It was good to see her happy and laughing at dinner.

"I think she fits in better than the Autopsy Gremlin does."

"Be nice," Ziva playfully scolded.

"I'm always nice, Zee-vah. Is there anything else you want to do to celebrate the last three hours of your birthday?"

"I believe you have mentioned something about celebrating properly, yes?" Ziva purred as she began giving him small kisses.

"I did. And I must do whatever the birthday girl asks for." Tony scooped her up and took her to the bedroom where the couple happily celebrated the rest of Ziva's birthday.

* * *

Tony got out of bed some rounds later for a reason unknown to Ziva. He came back into her room two minutes later with a small package in his hand. It was clear that it was a present.

"I thought I told you that I did not want you to get me a birthday gift."

"And I listened," Tony replied. "Your birthday technically ended forty-three minutes ago. Think of the like an 'you're awesome' gift."

Ziva let out a small laugh and shook her head at what was a clearly prepared answer, but took the gift nonetheless. Ziva opened the package up to find a picture frame with the quote "Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." by William Faulkner. Ziva ran a finger over the frame with emotion building up inside her. She remembered telling Tony that this is one her favorite Faulkner quotes, but that was a couple of years ago and she never expected him to remember. Meanwhile, Tony sat watching Ziva unsure as to whether or not her silence was a good thing or a bad thing.

"You like?" Tony questioned hesitantly.

"I do. Tony, thank you. This means a lot to me that you remembered," Ziva replied with a look of what was a mixture of appreciation and adoration. But there was something else playing in her eyes and Tony could see that.

"What's up, Ziva?"

She began cautiously, not wanting to upset Tony. "Tony, I am grateful for this. And everything, really. But you have been doing so much for me in the three months that we've been dating – taking me to nice dinners, giving me memorable dates, and now this birthday. Please do not misunderstand me – I am grateful for it – but why? I just like spending time with you; I do not need all of this."

Tony answered quickly, almost as though he had been expecting this at some point. "Right before you broke up with Ray, you told me that he didn't appreciate you. That hurt me, Ziva. The look in your eyes when you said that is not something I want to see again, especially when I'm the guy you're dating. And I hated how, don't hate me for this, broke you sounded. Any guy who is lucky enough to be with you should appreciate you and that's what I'm doing."

Ziva was rendered speechless. That was quite possibly one of the nicest things anybody has ever said to her. She looked at Tony with the same look she had before, only this time, the curiosity was gone and in its place was much more adoration. Ziva gave him a kiss that quickly deepened and they were soon beginning another round. Being with each other was definitely making them happy.

* * *

As always, reviews are very much appreciated!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Hiiiiii. So it's been awhile, yes? My apologies. These last few episodes have given me stuff to work with, so I'm rolling with it. I was going to try and get this up sooner, which is why there's stuff from Shell Shock and why this chapter is what it is, but life got in the way. (It's a pesky thing, that real life.) I'll try and get a little ahead in the coming weeks, so the wait isn't terribly long, but I make no promises.

I hope you enjoy, please review, and now on with the story.

* * *

Ziva showed up to Gibbs' house a while after Tony had left her alone in the bullpen. She sat there at her desk for quite some time, listening as the sounds of Puccini filled the room. The music brought back memories of her sister, Tali – her smile, her laughter, the moments they would dance with each other in their rooms because at that moment, nothing else seemed to matter. She had told Tony earlier that she was lucky to have known the love of a sibling, but right now, she is lucky to know the strength of a partnership. Though she was originally reluctant letting Tony in about why she was going to the opera, Ziva was glad she did. He didn't do anything that would make her feel bad about this tradition, instead, Tony comforted her and made something out of nothing. It was seeing this side of him that made her glad she decided to give "them" a go. Having that person to lean on was something Ziva was happy she had now. She never could really open up to Ray or Michael in the way she had done with Tony earlier. Ziva was _thankful_ for him and as she stepped into Gibbs' house and locked eyes with his, she conveyed that thanks as much as possible. He seemed to understand what she was saying if the sly smile was any indication. Ziva was welcomed with a hug from Abby who seemed to think that her being a half hour late meant that she was not going to show up at all.

"I would not miss this, Abby. I just had something to take care of before I left," Ziva had told her hoping that would be the end of that conversation.

"But I thought you guys were done with the case?" Abby questioned wondering what possibly could have kept Ziva and made her late to dinner.

"We are. This was not case related."

Sensing the finality in her tone, Abby dropped the conversation. The ladies joined everybody else in the living room where they were enjoying each other's company before starting dinner. There were a couple of conversations circulating amongst the group, nothing to heavy, but relishing the levity that was the evening. It was the ding of the timer indicating that Abby's casserole was done and dinner was ready to be served. Tony made his way over to Ziva who had previously been engaged in a discussion with Ducky.

"So I know you weren't technically at the opera, but-" Tony stated with a questioning tone as they meandered toward the dining room table Gibbs put together.

"No it was not, but it was perfect. Thank you," Ziva quietly said but with much sincerity.

"You're welcome. So your place or mine tonight?"

"Yours."

They sat at their respective seats at the dinner table and food began to be passed around. The team ate in silence for a few moments before doing the obligatory Thanksgiving thing and going around saying what they were thankful for. There was a consensus among the group that they were thankful they are all still here. Ducky was thankful to be coming back stronger after his heart attack, Abby was thankful to have her brother Kyle in her life, and though it wasn't voiced, Tony and Ziva were thankful to have the other in their lives in more ways than one.

* * *

The dinner lasted well into the late hours of the night before the team disbanded and went home to regroup for a couple of days. It was getting close to 11:30 by the time Tony and Ziva arrived at his apartment and had a movie going. Ziva paused the movie halfway through turned to face her boyfriend who was lounging next to her. Pausing the movie grabbed his attention and Tony's green eyes met her big brown ones.

"I didn't get a chance to properly thank you for what you did tonight, Tony; not in the bullpen nor at Gibbs'. First for listening in the car, even though you were bugging me about it, but also for setting that up. I was not able to make it to the opera, but you made it something special and I truly appreciate it." Ziva finished her statement by placing her hands on his chest and giving him a sweet kiss.

"You're welcome. Sometimes, I feel like I know so much about you, but then you tell me something like this and I realize that's not the case."

It was the truth, and Ziva knew it. It happened last week when Tony told her about his mom. They knew stuff about each other and were learning more with each date and night spent together, but at the same time, some of the more important facts about their lives were still hidden and that needed to change if they wanted to move forward.

"We have both had childhoods that helped shape us, but it is also for that reason that we do not like talking about them much." Ziva paused, but Tony nodded, giving her encouragement to continue. "I know I keep stuff bottled up, because until recently, I did not have any reason to talk about it. But know that it is not personal. It is just who I am."

"I get that, Ziva, I do. And please don't think I'm berating you for not telling me anything because that's the last thing I'm doing. I'm the same way. I just think if we want to make this have a good shot, we need to start being more honest with each other. Agreed?"

"Agreed. Thank you again, for everything." Ziva gave him another sweet kiss on the lips.

Tony could feel her smile through the kiss and only briefly pulled apart to reply with an "anytime" before his lips found hers again. The sweet kisses turned into a make-out session and it wasn't too long before Tony was carrying Ziva back to his room, movie forgotten, and an appreciation for each other being shown.

* * *

Two weeks. Two weeks had gone by and they were not uneventful weeks. Ziva's friend Schmiel came in for a quick visit and to say that he was a character would be an understatement. The stories Tony learned about Ziva from Schmiel would forever be stored in the back of his mind and brought up if the occasion, like paperwork, ever presented itself. Tony was sure that Ziva would never tell him these stories herself, so being at dinner and learning about three year old Ziva was quite a treat.

* * *

But now here Tony was, stories forgotten, as he was having a little crisis. He had gotten a call from his father saying he was coming to town for Christmas so he could spend some quality time with his son. This news had put Tony on edge since he had received it. Tony was looking forward to a nice, low-key day with Ziva on Christmas. They had not intended on making a big deal of the day, especially as Ziva was Jewish, but rather enjoy each other's company. Those plans were now shot. It wasn't that Tony wasn't looking forward to seeing his father, but things always seemed to go awry anytime he was in DC. And if Tony were being honest with himself, he was still a little angry that Sr. didn't have the decency to call after the bombing of the Navy Yard and make sure his only child was okay. Now, Sr. is expecting Tony to drop whatever plans he may have had and celebrate the holidays like everything was fine and dandy between them. Tony had voiced his opinions to Ziva after getting the call, but unfortunately, her words were doing nothing to comfort him and set his mind at ease.

"I just don't understand. Nothing for months, and now all of a sudden, he wants to spend Christmas together. You know? I can't even remember the last time we spent Christmas together." Tony went on about the subject while he and Ziva were dining on their take-out together.

Ziva didn't know what else to say to Tony without repeating something she'd already said and continue to provide comfort.

"Tony, do not let this get to you like this. I understand your apprehension about his visit, but he is staying at a hotel, you only have to spend one full day with him and some time in between. And I am only one phone call away if you need me," Ziva reassured him.

It was that mention that calmed Tony down slightly. He knew Ziva would be there for him if he asked her to.

"Yeah, thanks," Tony replied with a sound of defeat in his tone. He knew this was going to happen no matter what, so Tony thought at this point it was just better to suck it up and deal with it. Though there was still something else that was bothering Tony. "What about our Christmas day plans? I had planned on showing you all the holiday classics. Educate you a little. Cross some movies off that list of yours."

Ziva chuckled at the mention of her list. Tony would still keep up with that despite her protests. "One, there is no list. Two, we will celebrate our day, just a day later. We are extending the holiday season, if you will."

"I like the sound of that."

"And what films do you plan on showing to educate me?"

"Well, we have to do _It's A Wonderful Life_. That's a holiday classic. As is _Home Alone_. And _Elf_, of course. It's not a classic in the traditional sense, but you have to watch every year during Christmas.

"'The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear' yes?" Ziva asked with a smile tugging at her lips because of Tony's reaction.

"Ziva David, I have never been so proud."

Ziva feigned annoyance, but gladly accepted the kiss he gave her.

"What do you say we get these containers out of the way and get a little head start on our Christmas day with a movie?"

They made quick work of the "dishes" and retired to the couch and settled on the _Love Actually _showing on TV. It was this contentment right here that allowed Tony to momentarily forget about his father's upcoming visit.

* * *

To say that Tony was shocked that his father was going to stay with him would be an understatement, but leave it to Ziva to talk him down. On the way to his apartment, Tony racked his brain trying to remember if any of Ziva's belongings were out, although, they hadn't been to his place for the couple of dates, so he didn't think it would be a problem. In going along with Ziva's lie from earlier, Tony explained to his disbelieving father that people have not been to his apartment before and with good reason. While what Tony told Sr. was somewhat of a lie, there were portions that were true. Before he and Ziva got together, there were few guests he allowed into his home as it was his place to just drink a beer, watch a movie, and sleep in. It was his sanctuary, his place to unwind after the effects of his days. And yes, the twin bed seemed to be a tad much now, but he hadn't gotten around to buying a new bed yet and Ziva didn't seem to mind the…closeness it provided.

Tony was still explaining himself and his relationship status with Ziva over a dinner that never seemed to end. Him and Ziva were best friends, they looked out for each other, yada yada yada. Tony did his best to keep his cool as his father retold stories from his latest escapades and didn't even ask him about his lack of contact as of late. If he were being honest, Tony was pretty proud of himself. It was after dinner and after he finally got Sr. settled that he was able to escape to the lobby of his building and give Ziva a call.

"How was dinner with Anthony?" Ziva asked skipping pleasantries. She knew that these last couple of hours would have been hard and wanted to know how he was.

"It seemed like it would never end. You know how in _Citizen Kane_ they're at the table and they time lapse a few years? That's what this dinner felt like. We continued to be there, but it wasn't ending," Tony explained. "He went on and on about my apartment and us and then spent the rest of the evening recalling his recent adventures."

"Well what did you say about your apartment and us?" The curiosity was seeping from Ziva's voice.

"Let me ask you this first: why did you lie about never having been to my apartment?"

Ziva sighed into the phone. "I do not know. It was the first thing that came to my mind. I guess I was trying to avoid you getting further questioned with ones such as "how often do I come over" and "what do we do there?" I see that did not work out too well, did it?"

"There would have been questions no matter what so don't worry about it. I just told him I like my space and it's my sanctuary. And as for his questions regarding you and I, I just told him that we were best friends. Which we are."

"This is true."

"So let's not talk about my father for one minute. How are you? What are you up to?"

"I am fine. I am reading a book, though I will probably go to bed soon."

"Okay. I'll let you go so you can go to sleep, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Tony," Ziva wished sweetly through her phone.

"Goodnight, Ziva."

Just as Tony was about to end the call, Ziva got his attention to tell him one last thing: "Oh and Tony. I'm proud of you for letting your father into your home; I know it was not easy for you."

Taken aback by her words, all Tony could manage was a whispered "thank you." They said their goodnights once more and Tony headed back to his apartment feeling better than he had leaving it.

* * *

It was the 26th and Tony had dropped Sr. off at the airport earlier that morning and now he and Ziva were on their viewing of _Home Alone_.

"Tony?"

"Yeah?" He responded taking his attention away from the movie to focus on the incredibly sexy and casually dressed woman sitting next to him. She definitely made his Ohio State sweatpants look a helluva lot sexier than he did.

"What you did in MTAC, with your father, just know I am proud of you." Tony opened his mouth to give thanks, but was stopped by her hand in his face. "You didn't have to tell him you love him nor did you have to take the first step especially after what he did. But you did and I think that was very kind of you."

Tony was a little shocked by her words. That was twice in the span of a few days that Ziva told him she was proud of him. It gave him a feeling, and though he wasn't able to properly describe what it was, he did know it was good. "Thank you. That means a lot. I'm still angry with him and we have a lot to work through, but he is my dad and I do love him. He should know that."

"And now he does," Ziva supplied.

"Yeah, he does. However, I am still burning that bed and buying a new one. We are going bed shopping tomorrow."

"We will find you a nice, comfy king-size bed. Plenty of more room for certain activities."

Tony couldn't help but laugh. He did enjoy "certain activities" with Ziva. Oh, did he ever. "I really like the sound of that."

* * *

A/N2: Also, just because there is stuff from the episodes, that does not mean I'll continue going off them. I like the stories they provide and were a good a basis for this chapter, but I know where this is going. I know I will definitely not be building off Shabbat Shalom; have you seen that promo?! Noooo. Too much angst for my liking.

As always, feedback is very much welcomed and appreciated. Happy (belated) Holidays!


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